Companies not clear on the concept

All we hear about these days is doom and gloom. How bad the economy is and how much worse it is going to get.

Well why is it then, that I can contact a company (advertising to be exact) set it all out so that, they know what I want to do, what time frame I'm looking at and the budget I am willing to spend. Don't get me wrong, I didn't go over the top in budget but I didn't skinny out either. They were the ones that told me the time frame vs spending that I would be looking at and I handed them a credit card and said, 'lets do it'.

They told me I would be contacted in a couple of days by my own advertising account manager, we'd go over every thing, set it all up and then we'd be off and running but I never got that call back, they never charged my credit card and I received no advertising. I know what your thinking and yes, I did call them back and left messages on their voice mail with still no response from anyone at the company. Considering all these facts is it any wonder that I'm a little hot under the collar?

To top it off, they did come recommended by an associate and word of mouth advertising is the best you can get. Now they have taken a possible long term client and turned the great word of mouth advertising that they did receive and any future good referrals from me, into someone that is NOT going to recommend them to anyone. How long do you think this company will stay in business if they continue on this path.

So some times it's not all doom and gloom because of the economy but just because of bad business practices.

It was once said that it takes months to build a foundation with a customer but seconds to destroy it. We didn't even get to start building it before it was destroyed.

That's all.

Where do most people stand when it comes to their life?

Morty Lefkoe said it best, 'What’s the difference between the millions of people who lose their jobs and get paralyzed by feelings of hopelessness and helplessness and the 600,000 last year who said, how can I monetize my skills and interests, and who then created a new business?'

There is so much truth to that statement, look at America when the global down turned started. People were so fearful they went to the extreme and were killing their families and themselves. Why? Because they could not see past the immediate onslaught to what they could have actually accomplished had they looked at their life and situation in a different light.

How do you view it?

My view is that I now see losing my job as the best thing that could have happened to me. It is moving me on to where I really want to be, living and enjoying life on my terms. Each of us in our own way, looks at our own life differently as to where we want to be. The opportunities are there for anyone that wants to take up the challenge.

So my question to you is this, are you one of the millions or one of the 600,000?

I say it so many times but the truth is, life is choices, choosing not to make a choice, in essence is still making a choice.

That's all.

Where will you be?

Come take a walk with me. . .

As I take my morning walk, it begins at the crest of my hill, from here I can see for kilometers from the sanctity of where I am to the city in the distance. Where too many people place their faith in a system not built to help the individual flourish.

It is from here I decent to the base of the hill and the silent retreat of the river’s walk.
As I reach the base I can see that the sun is just starting to peer over the horizon, spraying her light on the last droplets of dew which lay splattered on the leaves of the trees. Above my head the deafening screeching of the cockatoos and the crows as they look for dominance of the the tree tops above. The little finches zip in and around the branches and long grass and they playfully get ready for the new day ahead.

Walking along the bank of the river, I hear the pebbles crunch under my feet and as I slowly take in a long, deep breath of crisp clean cold air just fresh off the river. As I inhale the dampness of the air it fills my lungs with the most incredible awakening breath and the smell that follows is utterly refreshing.

Thru the trees lining the banks of the Maribrynong I can see that the last mist of the fog is disappearing. To mellow in the beauty of the river as it is so peaceful, so quiet, yet complete in the calmness, just waiting for the day to begin. Soon, it will be full of the rowers with their skillful oars that will slice the top of the water with such skill that not a sound is heard but right now, it is a sheet of glass just waiting to be broken.

Just then my silence is broken as in the distance I hear the sounds of traffic, horns sounding with the impatience being felt by all that make the journey to work at a job they probably don't really like that much.

If that is you then just remember, tomorrow you’ll be back in traffic and I'll be back here, living the lifestyle that I have created.

Choices, we all make them.

That’s all.

Now What?

Ever get that feeling you've been here before and its all just a little too familiar for your liking? That's how it was for me to, I had been on this roller coaster ride one too many times and I knew all the turns, climbs and plummets . There was no excitement to the ride only the knowledge that no one knows when the oil and gas industry was going to come back on line, this time we got told it would be happening first part of January, then they backed it off a little to March, and when it got to June I knew we were in for a long run of the jobs being scarce.

January - that's when I decided to start changing direction for the employment opportunities but I soon realized that the regular avenues weren't to my liking, I mean, seriously, 6am -5pm all the while stuck behind a computer, stressed out at unrealistic deadlines, and clients that couldn't make up there minds on what they wanted. Was this really what I wanted? Again?

I had come to enjoy, waking up to actually see and enjoy the day, to be able to drive to the ocean to just marvel in the wonderment of it, to work on personal projects too long over due, meet friends for lunches and share stories with a great amount of laughter, plan holidays when I wanted to go and for the time frame I determined was good for me. I knew that I couldn't go back to being an employee so I went looking for an alternative where I would work the hours I wanted, to be able to live the life I had grown to absolutely love. I know it's not the same for everyone but how could you not want to live this way every day.

With that it started my journey to find the business that fit the life style I has so quickly become accustomed to and was unwilling to give up!

T-14 days

I can still remember J sitting there and telling me, 'Kathleen I'm afraid we're going to have to give you 2 weeks notice.'

Can I say it, I had my nose out of joint in a 'how dare they re-trench me' kind of way and then I'd slip to the 'yahoo it's finally happened' zealous frame of mind.

The next 2 weeks flew by with lunches, brews and the final nail in the coffin, a bottle of red wine and a bottle of whiskey. I must say though I did enjoy the bottles that were the send off to my 4 and a half years with the company.

Now let me complete this total scenario by telling you that my partner decided instead of getting a job and contributing to the now non-existent cash fund, he'd pack his bags and leave.

Some times you just have to sit back, laugh and marvel at the wonderment of life while sipping on a glass of the red.